Home-Based Exercise to Improve Functional Outcomes in Veterans With a Recently Healed Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary: This pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week home-based exercise program designed for veterans aged 50 and older with recently healed diabetic foot ulcers. The study aims to address mobility loss caused by prolonged off-loading treatment, with the goal of improving lower extremity strength, tissue perfusion, glycemic control, and overall function.
Key Highlights:
- Background: Diabetic foot ulcers often result in reduced mobility due to off-loading treatments. Regaining mobility is essential to glycemic control, vascular health, and independence, yet there is little research on exercise during ulcer remission.
- Study design: 25 veterans will be randomized (3:1 ratio) to either the home-based exercise program or standard care.
- Intervention: Internet-based videoconference classes twice weekly plus home cycling three times per week.
- Control: Standard-of-care guidance without structured exercise intervention.
- Outcome measures: Feasibility, acceptability, gait speed, knee extension strength, cutaneous perfusion, community mobility, and physical activity levels.
- Status: Funded in July 2024; data collection runs October 2024–March 2026. As of June 2025, 12 participants enrolled and 6 randomized. Recruitment continues through December 2025.
- Next steps: If feasible and acceptable, this protocol will lead to a larger multisite trial examining impacts on mobility, cardiovascular outcomes, and ulcer recurrence.
Read the full article in JMIR Research Protocols
Keywords:
diabetic foot ulcer,
home-based exercise,
veterans health,
mobility outcomes,
rehabilitation,
randomized controlled trial